1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to a paper cutting device for cutting printed recording paper, and to a printer in which this paper cutting device is incorporated.
2. Description of Related Art
Printers that print to a long tape of recording paper wound into a roll on a core (that is, roll paper) commonly have a paper cutting device disposed near the paper exit for cutting the paper to a certain length after the paper is printed. One type of such paper cutting device is a scissors-like device comprising a fixed blade and a movable blade. Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H8-309689 teaches a scissor-type paper cutting device, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H9-254474 teaches a printer comprising a scissor-type paper cutting device.
The paper cutting device of the printer taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H9-254474 has the fixed blade mounted on an operable cover that opens and closes the storage compartment where the roll paper is held, and disposes the movable blade on the printer chassis side. When the operable cover opens, the fixed blade separates from the movable blade and thus opens the paper path from the roll paper compartment past the printing position and paper cutting position to the paper exit. As a result, the roll paper can be easily replaced. When the operable cover then closes, the movable blade and fixed blade are positioned so that the paper can be cut.
In a scissor-type paper cutting device the fixed blade and movable blade are disposed in opposing positions either vertically or longitudinally (in the front-to-back direction) to the printer, and are supported so that the cutting edges touch at a point. The movable blade is driven to pivot from the side of the paper at which cutting starts, and the paper is cut at the position of the paper between the blades by gradually moving the point of contact between the two blades from the paper edge where cutting starts (the side where the movable blade pivots) to the edge where cutting ends (the distal end of the blade).